Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri announced on Thursday that an MBA course will be launched at the Mian Hira Singh State Cooperative Training Centre and Community Building in Panjawar village, located in the Haroli Assembly constituency of Una district. The new academic session is set to commence with this postgraduate program.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the announcement was made by Agnihotri as he addressed residents of Panjawar following the distribution of prizes at a traditional wrestling competition known locally as ‘Chinj’. Panjawar village, situated in the Haroli subdivision, holds historical significance for the cooperative movement in India, with one of the country’s earliest cooperative societies established there in 1892, predating formal cooperative legislation.
The informal society was founded in 1892 by Mian Hira Singh, a local resident, who organized farmers to protect their agricultural lands from the monsoon floods of the Swan river. As formal cooperative legislation had not yet been enacted, the society operated without official registration.
Over time, the cooperative movement in the area expanded to encompass land and resource management. In 1939, a 250-hectare protected forest in Panjawar was brought under the management of a Soil Conservation Cooperative Society. This society was tasked with regulating activities such as grazing, tree felling, and fire prevention to conserve the forest resources.
Deputy Chief Minister Agnihotri stated that the construction of the cooperative training centre is nearing completion, with an investment of Rs 5 crore allocated for the project. He further indicated that affiliation would be sought from Tribhuvan Cooperative University in Anand, Gujarat, to offer the MBA program and other additional courses at the Panjawar centre. Tribhuvan Cooperative University was established with the objective of providing training in the management and administration of cooperative societies and developing skilled leaders to strengthen the cooperative movement across the region.
In addition to the educational initiative, Agnihotri announced an allocation of Rs 50 lakh for the construction of a new bus stand in Panjawar village. Prior to these announcements, he undertook an inspection of ongoing development works in Gondpur village. During his visit, he issued directives to officials for the renovation of the village water body and the development of recreational facilities surrounding it.
Further instructions were given by the Deputy Chief Minister to the authorities for the installation of a retired Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus near a local park in Gondpur village. This initiative aims to serve as a tribute to the corporation’s legacy of providing essential public transport services to the people of Himachal Pradesh, often under challenging geographical and weather conditions, and with limited road infrastructure.
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